Harder Better Faster Stronger
by inazumakaze
Summary: Life is Hard, but you can always get Better, it may seem to go by Fast, but friends keep you Strong. Four shots. Based off the song Harder Better Faster Stronger. I do not own Inazuma Eleven, the picture or the song Harder Better Faster Stronger.


**Harder**

Gouenji Shuuya.

Harder, his life is always getting harder. Each day brings new challenges, some are just too difficult... Toohard. Sometimes he comes home, skips dinner and passes out on his bed. It became too much. It was all too hard.

"I'm home." He called tiredly, dropping his bag and yawning. The middle-schooler tried slipping off his shoes but fell. He winced as his body made contact with the floor. He sat up and slipped off his shoes.

"Onii-Chan..." Yuuka said, rubbing her right eye. Her older brother stood up, grabbing his bag and slinging it over his shoulder before picking her up and kissing her forehead. "You're late." She said after a yawn.

He smiled weakly. "I know. I'm sorry."

"I was worried..." She said, resting her head on her brother's shoulder.

"Yuuka," He stopped himself from continuing when he realized she had already dozed off.

He carried her to her room and laid her in her bed before tucking her in gingerly.

He stumbled out of his sibling's room and down the hall. He opened and closed his door before dropping his bag by his desk and collapsing on his bed. He glanced at his alarm clock before nodding off to sleep.

"Gouenji!" Endou called, waving from across the class room.

Gouenji shook off his sleepiness and returned the wave. Endou came over to him and grinned.

"You scared us for a while!"

"What do you mean?"

"We thought you weren't going to make it to school on time." Endou said staring back at the group of his teammates that were in the same class. "If you're late, you'll get detention."

"I know." He said taking his seat and shuffling through his bag for his text book, notebook and pencil. He yawned and Endou tilted his head.

"You look tired, what time did you get to sleep last night Gouenji?" He asked curiously, looming over the front of his desk.

Gouenji sighed before replying solemnly. "Around... Four."

Endou sighed and took his seat as the teacher came in.

Gouenji began to doze off and their teacher noticing this called on him and asked him to solve the problem on the black board. "Hai, sensei." He said standing up shakily and walking up to the front of the class.

At lunch break Endou called over the majority of the soccer club and sat down at a table, setting down his tray of food.

His teammates eyed him suspiciously. Gouenji sat across from them at the next table with the managers and some of the other players. His head was on the table and he was out cold. "Okay, Gouenji is really looking tired. Let's look out for him today."

"What do you mean, Endou? How should we 'look out for him'?" Handa asked, using his chopsticks to stab his food with an uninterested expression.

"Just... I don't know! Just help him!" The goal keeper said, clutching his head.

They all sighed and glanced over at their Ace Striker. "Hai."

It was time for their afternoon practice. Haruna, Aki and Natsumi were getting everything ready while Endou was leading their usual stretches. 'Gouenji is still looking sluggish...' Endou thinks before stopping their laps short. "That's enough. Go get some water everyone..."

Kidou walks over to Endou and frowns. "You noticed too?" Endou nods in confirmation. "Kazemaru, and Hibiki Kantoku have noticed it as well."

"It doesn't surprise me. Everyone on the team knows that Gouenji is out of it today,"

"No... I think Kazemaru knows what's wrong."

Endou glanced over to him before nodding. "Let's go get some water, I'll talk to Kazemaru after practice." He said walking over and receiving his water from Aki.

"Gouenji," Hibiki called. "you are excused from practice today." He said with his arms crossed.

"Hibiki Kantoku!" Gouenji objected, his eyes wide as he stood and looked up at his elder.

"Gouenji, just go home and get some rest." Endou said as all eyes were on Gouenji. The team was filled with concern.

Gouenji turned to Endou then back to Hibiki. He bowed. "Hai, Hibiki Kantoku." He bowed to the rest of the team and left without another word.

"Captain..." Kurimatsu said sadly. He and the other three first years weren't there when Endou was talking about Gouenji at lunch.

"Oh, you four weren't at lunch when we talked ab-"

"About what? Gouenji-San isn't getting kicked off the team, is he?" Kabeyama screamed in concern.

Endou quickly interrupted. "No! Not at all, he just needs some time to-"

"Oh no! Gouenji-San is leaving us!" Shiourinji said sadly.

"No! He's not leaving the team! He just-" Endou started.

Hibiki sighed. "That's all for practice."

"Hibiki Kantoku!" Endou said in disbelief. The team went their separate ways until Endou stopped Kazemaru. "Kazemaru! Wait up!" He called, running to catch up to him.

"Endou? What is it?" He said stopping and turning to face him.

"Gouenji," Kazemaru's eyes saddened. "do you know what''s wrong with him recently?"

"Maybe. He could be going through the same thing I was when I was asked to come back to the athletics club. Gouenji was the one who saw through me and confronted me about it..." He admitted thinking about his friends from the athletics club and how he hadn't seen them in a long time.

"What is it? What's wrong with him?" Endou asked franticly.

"He's tired..." Kazemaru stated plainly.

"...That's it?" Endou asked in shock.

"I don't think that's all... He's probably going through something stressful. Maybe it's a hard decision he has to make."

"Like what you went through." Endou interrupted.

"Maybe..."

The next day was a Saturday, and coach Hibiki had called off practice again. Gouenji was at the river bank practicing hissatsu shoots. Endou was walking down the riverbank with Kidou, they were going to practice.

"Oi! Gouenji!" Endou called, waving up high and smiling wide.

Gouenji panted and turned around after wiping the sweat off his forehead. He smiled slightly and waved back at Kidou and Endou.

They practiced together and Kidou left before the other two. He had to get home before it was too late.

Endou and Gouenji decided to take a break and sat under a tree. "Gouenji..." Endou said solemnly. Gouenji shifted and faced him. "What's been going on recently, you haven't been acting like yourself. Is something wrong? Does your dad want you to become a doctor again?"

"No. It's just overwhelming sometimes. Sometimes I wonder if I chose the right path in my life." Gouenji said, his eyes never leaving the field in front of him.

"You know we don't have a game for a couple weeks, why don't you take sometime to sort things out?"

Gouenji narrowed his eyes. "I wont leave the team behind. Ever."

Endou laughed. "We would never even dream of leaving you behind either. Just remember: We're always here Gouenji." He said setting a hand on Gouenji's shoulder reassuringly.

Gouenji closed his eyes and smiled slightly. "Arigato, Endou."


End file.
